Children's pretend play is an everyday part of a normal childhood for almost every child. From jumping like a kangaroo to serving juice at a pretend restaurant, using action figures to delivering mail to Mom, a regular part of a child's play is pretending that he's someone or something else.
Preschool, kindergarten and primary grade classrooms often have a dress-up or pretend play corner, where children can pretend to be anything from a fireman to a princess. And at home, you can watch your child's imagination stretch just by playing house, playing school or playing with dolls.
The Benefits of Children's Pretend Play
Child researchers say there may be a link between pretend play and a higher-level of cognition, abstract thought, and feeling empathy for others.
Doris Bergen, Miami University professor of educational psychology, in her study "The Importance of Pretend Play in Children's Cognitive Development" says that there is growing evidence supporting connections between pretend play and higher-level cognition and abstract thought in children.
Pretend play requires a child to transform objects and actions symbolically, Bergen's study says. In pretend play, a child practices negotiation, role taking, improvisation and problem solving.
When a child engages in pretend play, he is able to see people and things as symbols, understand simple metaphors and stretch his mind away from himself.
How to Encourage Your Child to Pretend Play
Don't force your child to play something that he doesn't naturally want to play. If you'd like your child to explore more pretend play, suggest a few scenarios to choose between.
When your toddler is banging on the bottom of a pot, give him two wooden spoons and suggest he be the drummer in a band. When the two of you are having a tickling match, pretend your fingers are tickle bugs creeping along his arms.
Here are some things you a parent can do to encourage children to use their imaginations and play pretend games:
 | For a win-win situation in your home, treat your children to a liberal dose of information every time you spot an opportunity and turn everyday activities into fun educational games. |
 | Reading comprehension games help a child progress from simple deciphering of print to understanding what he has read. Games can help make this skill more fun to learn. |
 | Learning toys are those which stimulate creativity, motor skills, coordination, problem solving, social skills and reading readiness. Make good choices and you'll watch your child blossom. |
Just about everyone remembers the old "Mr. Potatohead" set where you used a real potato and then dressed it up like a person, with accessories included in the kit. Kids had so much fun with the set that millions were sold. |
The rules have changed since I entered kindergarten over 25 years ago. Kids today are expected to know much more when starting school. The things I learned in kindergarten and even first grade are now required knowledge before setting foot in a classroom. As a parent I wonder if I'm doing enough to prepare my daughter for school. |
